Returned to Christ, or Christ Returns For Us?

 You have been warned.

You have been given all you need to know about the coming of the Lord and when it is close.

Again, I say that and you respond with people have been thinking the Lord was coming for 2000 years, what makes today any different?

Nothing. I tell you in truth, nothing.

By faith each and every Christ follower who has believed Christ was coming soon, and then died before seeing His return, they died in faith. They died and the next thing they'll know is Christ's return when He calls them up from their graves.

Do you see? They didn't die in vain. Their belief in the soon coming of the Lord wasn't a folly. They didn't die in disappointment. They died knowing that in truth the Lord was going to return, just not in their day.

Tell me this? Why does it matter that we believe in Christ's soon return if when we die we go right to Him? 

If we are to be returned to Christ, and not Christ returning for us, does it matter?

In TRUTH we are NOT returned to Christ when we die as so many millions believe. Christ has no reason to return IF we all just go to Him when we die. Just wiping us all out in some natural catastrophe would have all who are His with him, if that were true. 

The word of God tells us that the DEAD in CHRIST shall rise when Christ returns. Why do the dead need to rise if they are already with Christ? Why? WHY? Don't ignore this question! Don't pass over this as if it weren't a valid question! DO NOT shun the Holy Spirit pricking your conscious right this very moment! DO NOT let Satan keep the blinders on you! DO NOT let Satan  stop your ears up with His cherished, comfortable lies! You've believe the dead go to heaven ALL YOUR LIFE! You believe their spirit holding all their thoughts and memories are all intact and has flown off to heaven to be with Jesus and all the others who have gone on before them. ALL your friends believe this! Your church believes this! Your ministers, pastors, priest all believe this to be truth! Remember BROAD is the way and many are going that way but it won't lead to SALVATION! STOP believing the lies!

The dead are in their graves, their thoughts have perished, they sleep death's sleep and know ABSOLUTELY nothing until Jesus returns! 

They died in their hope of Jesus' soon coming and to them, the next thing they will know is His coming for them as He calls them from the grave!

Jesus will return. This awful sin filled world will be made new. There is an end of all sin, of all the results of sin- all tears, fears, pain, hate, agony, heartache, all of this will be gone completely and utterly and this will happen, first, Christ will return for ALL His followers, all His believers, all those He knows as His- dead and alive since the world was created. 

I want this evil world to end. I want evil to end. I want my SAVIOR to return!

I am watching as we are told to do.

I am praying as we are told to do.

I am studying the signs as we are told to do.

My Savior is coming soon. The prophecies are almost all complete.

We have the end of probation next, those who receive the mark of the beast right before that time (in their thoughts and actions are marked as Satan's) will be marked, and then a time of terrible trouble in which the plagues will fall, and the battle of the great day of God almighty will take place. 

During the time of trouble, as the plagues fall over the world here and there, as Satan makes his final stand before He is bound for 1000 years, we who are Christ's will be protected. It will NOT be a happy time for us, we will be tormented and tried by Satan mercilessly, but we will be Christ's and He will be our hope through it all, through all the darkness we will face.  We still have a lot to go through, but it will be cut short.

Mar_13:20  And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.

Watch and pray, watch and pray, watch and pray.

May we be ready and found in Christ when He returns, and if we are blessed to be among those who are alive when He returns, may we strong in HIM and HIS righteousness, enduring all that may come through the power of the Holy Spirit!

All through Jesus Christ our LORD and SAVIOR, now and forever! AMEN!!!!!!!

(Excerpt)

EXPOSITION OF MATTHEW XXIV  24  (((Written in 1890 - remember when reading the excerpt 131 years have passed since it was written. History does matter.))))

OBJECT OF MATTHEW 24

Now we have a most important consideration to present to the minds of the readers. We think we have given facts and reasonings to prove that the coming of the Lord, mentioned in Matthew 24, is a literal, personal, visible coming. We have no idea that these facts can be controverted, or that these reasonings can be refuted. But if the question be asked of us, Do you, then, believe that the instruction of this chapter was given to prove that the second coming of Christ will be literal and personal, even as his first was? we answer, No, we do not. No such object was in view; no question concerning the nature of his coming was asked. Mark well this point. The disciples did not ask him, Master, will you actually come to this world again, that we may behold you personally as we see you now? No, no; this was not yet a matter of query. The Universalist, or spiritualizing, view of the second coming was not yet invented. Nor did the Saviour say, When ye see these things, then ye may know that my coming is personal and visible.

The question was, "What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" It was a question concerning a certain event, and the time of its fulfillment; and the answer was to this question, and to no other. And to this it was direct: "When ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors." 

Thus is shown the great mistake made by a majority of those who study this chapter. They appear to think that the sole object of the Saviour was to guard his followers against the idea that they can know anything about the time of his coming. But, to the contrary, he leads our minds down through a series of events and signs with the special object that we may know the time, not,  indeed, the day nor the hour, but the time when it is near,–very near, even at the doors. 

Verse 36 is often perverted when it is used to justify the oft-repeated assertion that "we cannot tell anything about the time of the Lord's coming." When our opposers quote this verse, we accept its statement fully and cheerfully. They seem to have exceeding strong confidence in our Saviour's words, that we cannot tell the day nor the hour. We have equal confidence in this

declaration. But will they accept, with the same confidence, the statement in verse 33, which gives assurance that we may know when it is near? If they accept this as they do verse 36, then the controversy of this chapter is ended. If they do not accept it, but still insist that we cannot know, then how can they consistently claim to be believers of the Saviour's words? We invite all readers to look candidly at this point, and answer to their own hearts before God this question: For what was the instruction of this chapter given? If the Lord did not intend that his people shall know anything about the time, what is the meaning of the words in verse 33? He says  that we may know when his coming is near, and we have too much reverence for, and fear of, his word to contradict him. And more than this, we believe that verse 33 is not merely

instructive but also preceptive. It contains not only a statement, but a commandment. It does not barely inform us that we may know, but it commands us to know. The original shows, but the English does not plainly show, that the Saviour spoke in the imperative; and therefore no one can justly claim exemption, and say it makes no difference whether we know or do not. To say that we cannot know is to slight the words of the Lord. To refuse to diligently and prayerfully search in order to know, is to disobey the Lord's commandment. Reverence, humility, and a spirit of obedience, all call for a careful examination of our Saviour's teachings, and a reception of the evidence of his near coming. By many the evidences of the soon coming of Christ are considered insufficient to base faith upon. But mark: the testimony

and acts of one man condemned the people destroyed by the flood. The evidences then were sufficient, otherwise the world would not have been condemned. But behold the evidences which come pouring in upon us on all sides that the day of the Lord is near, and hasteth greatly. We follow down the numerous prophetic chains of Daniel, and of the Revelation, and we find ourselves in every instance standing just before the day of wrath. We see the signs spoken of by prophets, by Christ, and in the Epistles, fulfilling or fulfilled. And at the right time, and in the right manner, to fulfill certain prophecies, a solemn message arises in different parts of the world: "Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand." Joel 2:1. Wherever we look, we see prophecy fulfilling. And while the knowledge of God and the spirit of holiness are departing, spiritual wickedness like a flood covers the land. But these evidences are considered insufficient to rest faith upon. Well, what kind of evidence is required? "When the signs of the end," says the skeptic, "are fulfilled, they will be so plain that no one can doubt." But if the signs are of such a nature, and are fulfilled in such a manner, as to compel all to believe in the coming of Christ, how can it be as it was in the days of Noah? Men were not then compelled to believe. But eight believing souls were saved, while all the world beside sunk in their unbelief beneath the waters of the flood. God has never revealed his truth to man in a manner to compel him to believe. Those who have wished to doubt his word, have found a wide field in which to doubt, and a broad road to perdition. Only those who wish to believe find solid rock on which to rest their faith. "When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" Luke 18:8. He will find but little. It will be as in the days of Noah. A few will believe, and stand complete in God amid all the perils of the last days. "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Luke 12:32. Just before the end, the world will be hardened in sin, indifferent to the claims of God, careless about heeding warnings of danger, blinded by cares, pleasures, and riches; an unbelieving and infidel  race, eating, drinking, marrying, building, planting, sowing. It is right to eat and drink, but the sin is in excess and gluttony. The marriage covenant is holy, but God's glory is seldom thought of. Building, planting, and sowing, necessary for convenient shelter, food, and doing, are right, but the world has gone wholly after these things, so that they have no time nor disposition to think of God, heaven, Christ's coming, and the judgment. This world is their god, and all their energies of body and mind bow down to serve it. And the evil day is put far away. The faithful watchman who sounds the alarm as he sees destruction coming, is considered a "fanatic," a "teacher of dangerous heresies;" while a long period of peace and prosperity is predicted from the popular pulpit. So the churches are quieted to sleep. The scoffer continues to scoff, and the mocker mocks on. But their day is coming. Thus saith the prophet of God: "Howl ye; for  the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt; and they shall be afraid; pangs and sorrow shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth; they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames. Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate; and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it." Isa. 13:6-9. 

Most dreadful day! And is it near, and hasting on as fast as the rapid wheels of time can bring it?–Yes, it hasteth! It hasteth greatly! What a description given by the prophet! Read it, and as you read, try to feel how dreadful will be that day. "The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord; the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord; and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy; for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land." Zeph. 1:14-18. 

Now we hear the cry from the pulpit, and all the way along down to the grog-shop, "Where is the promise of his coming?" But the scene will speedily change: "For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them. . . . and they shall not escape." The scoffing of the haughty scoffer will soon be turned to wailing and howling." "The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon everyone that is proud and lofty, and upon everyone that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low." Isa. 2:11, 12. "And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of  the earth even unto the other end of the earth; they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground." Jer. 25:33.

The last plagues, in which is filled up the wrath of God, waiting for mercy to finish her last pleadings; will be poured out. See Rev. 15:1, and 16 entire. Unmingled wrath of Jehovah! And not one drop of mercy?–Not one! Jesus will lay off his priestly attire, eave [sic.] the mercy-seat, and put on the garments of vengeance, never more to offer his blood to cleanse the sinner from his sins. The angels will wipe away the last tear shed over sinners, while the mandate resounds through all heaven, Let them alone! The groaning, weeping, praying, preaching church on earth, who in the last message use every means within their reach, and employ every power of their being, to sound everywhere the loud cry, lest the blood of souls be found on their garments, are now hushed in solemn silence. The Holy Spirit has written within them these prophetic words of their soon-expected Lord: "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still." Rev. 22:11.

Now the ministers of truth have a message for the people, and gladly speak the words of life; but then they will have no message. Now their prayers and strong cries go up to Heaven in behalf of sinners; then they will have no spirit of prayer for them. Now the church says to the sinner, Come; and Jesus stands ready to plead his blood in his behalf, that he may be washed from sin and live; but then salvation's hour will have passed, and the sinner will be shut

up in darkness and black despair. 

It will be a day of mourning and lamentation, and famine for hearing the words of the Lord. "I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will  make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day. Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord; and they be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days." James 5:1-3. Now silver and gold may be used to God's glory, for the advancement of his cause, but in that day "they shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed; their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord; they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels; because it is the stumbling-block of their iniquity." Eze. 7:19. Now they may lay up a treasure in heaven, in bags that wax not old. Now they may deposit in the bank of heaven, and deliver their souls, Then, overwhelmed with terror, they will cast their wealth into the mire of the streets; but "their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord."  (End Excerpt) 

Ready or... Not.

 Almost the End.

(Excerpt)

EXPOSITION OF MATTHEW XXIV  24  (((Written in 1890 - remember when reading the excerpt 131 years have passed since it was written. History does matter.))))

"ALL THESE THINGS"

It is suggested that there are other things besides the signs in the sun, moon, and stars, which took place, according to this prophecy, and we are to look for "all these things" before we are to expect the coming of the Lord. If the reader will look carefully at the connection, he will see that following these signs five things are mentioned before the parable of the fig-tree is given: 

(1) The shaking of the powers in the heavens; (2) the appearing of the sign of the Son; of man; (3) the mourning of all the tribes of the earth (4) the coming of the Son of man in power and great glory; (5) sending his angels to gather his elect. 

Surely no one will contend that "all these things" shall take place before we have a right to expect the coming of the Lord as an event near at hand. We cannot say his coming is yet near in the future when he has come and gathered his saints to himself in glory. 

Thus it is seen that we have to draw a line between those things which are signs of his coming; and those things which take place at his coming. Where shall this line be drawn? We say between the signs in the sun, moon, and stars, and the things which follow. All that follow the three signs are connected with the immediate coming of the Lord. We need notice only the first–the shaking of the powers of the heavens.

1. Paul teaches, in Hebrews 12, that as the voice of God once shook the earth, in the days of Moses, so once more will the voice of God shake both earth and heaven. Once more the voice of God from heaven will be heard, and heaven and earth will be shaken thereby.

2. In Revelation 6, following the signs in the sun, moon, and stars, it is said, "And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together;" and this is accompanied with an earthquake so great that every mountain and island are moved out of their places. Thus the heavens and the earth are shaken, and the people upon the earth call to the rocks and mountains to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb. They will understand at that time that the Lamb of God he who has been their intercessor–has taken vengeance into his hands, and no probation remains for the impenitent. Compare 2 Thess. 2:7-10.

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 

2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 

2Th 2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 

2Th 2:10  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 

2Th 2:11  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie

3. In Rev. 16:17-21 we learn that the voice of God is heard from heaven, and the consequent commotion of the elements takes place, under the seventh and last plague, "in which [the plagues] is filled up the wrath of God." Under this plague the battle of the great day is fought. Heaven's artillery is the great hail-storm.  Compare Ezekiel 13. Under the sixth plague the Saviour announces his coming as future, but very near.

4. Isaiah, in chapter 2 and also 13, prophesies of the same shaking, and the dismay of the inhabitants of the earth, who seek a hiding-place in the rocks for fear of the majesty of the Lord, locating it in "the day of the Lord."

5. Jeremiah, in chapter 25, locates the speaking of God from heaven at the time of the great battle, when all the kingdoms of the earth shall drink of the cup of God's fury, and fall and rise no more; when "evil shall go forth from nation to nation," because the Lord has a controversy with them, and he "will give all the wicked to the sword." The destruction of the wicked shall be so complete and universal that "they shall not be lamented, neither gathered,

nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground."

6. Joel also speaks of the time when the voice of God is heard from heaven, and says it is when the battle of the nations is come, when the sickle is put in because the harvest is ripe. Joel 3:9-16.

7. Jesus said, "The harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are the angels;" and also that at the harvest the Son of man shall send forth his angels to separate the wheat from the tares. Matt. 13:37-43.

8. John also says that the harvest is reaped when the Son of man appears upon the great white cloud. Rev. 14:14-18. 

9. A message–a most solemn message–of warning is given before the Son of man appears upon the white cloud to reap the harvest of the earth, and the seven last plagues are poured out after this message and before the advent,–after the message, for the first plague is poured out upon the very ones denounced in the message (compare Rev. 14:9-12 and 16:1, 2): and before the advent, for under the sixth plague the Lord warns of his coming near, and the great battle is fought under the seventh, which is just at the period of his coming. Inasmuch as he comes in the glory of his Father, and all his holy angels with him, it is certain that there will be such glory and splendor as this world has never yet beheld. We believe the distant appearance Of this cloud, of this most resplendent glory, far, far, beyond the brightness of the sun, will be that "sign of the Son of man" which will cause all the tribes of the earth to mourn. They will have heard and rejected the evidence of his near coming. Then, when too late, they will realize their terrible mistake and hopeless condition. This will cause them to seek a hiding-place from the dazzling, and to them fearful, sight.

We do not here take time to fully develop the argument concerning the shaking of the powers of the heavens; but from this brief view we think it must appear conclusive to all that the shaking of the powers of the heavens is not a sign to prove to the waiting church that the Lord's coming draws near, but is an event which takes place in immediate connection with the Lord's appearing. It therefore follows that the signs in the sun, moon, and stars, are the only signs here given whereby we may feel the strongest assurance that his coming is near. And these are already fulfilled. Therefore now is the time to watch, for his coming is near indeed. We do not say there are no more prophecies to be fulfilled before the Lord comes. The warning of the angel of Rev.14:9-12 must do its work,–must lead the people of God to that

perfect obedience to "the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus,"–to that preparation and consecration which will insure their being sealed with the seal of God in their foreheads, that they may be preserved from the evil to come, in the day of the Lord's anger,– in the pouring out of the plagues of his wrath. See Zeph. 2:1-3. The Son of man will be seen "coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." But before his coming a great work must be done for his people. Should he suddenly burst upon them now, they could not endure the "power and great glory" of the scene. This subject is well illustrated by the following words of the prophet: "Then shall, we know, if we follow on to know the Lord; his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth." Hosea 6:3. The morning is a beautiful figure of the opening glory of the  day of God. The day-star first appears, then the dawn of day. And as the light of day increases, our eyes are enabled to endure it, and view the sun, shining in his strength. But should the light of the sun burst upon the world suddenly at midnight, no human eye could endure it. 

So will the people of God be prepared to meet their coming King. They must first break away from the love and cares of this world, and consecrate all to the Lord. Then will they, in due time, share the outpouring of the Holy Spirit "as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth." The day-star will arise in their hearts. 2 Peter 1:19. Those who have taken heed to the sure word of prophecy through the dark, watching night, then raise their heads in triumph. They are filled with faith and with the Holy Spirit. Glory is poured upon them till they can gaze on Christ and angels. The trumpet sounds, the angels hasten to the graves of the righteous dead, and the voice of the Son of God awakes the sleeping saints of all ages. They come forth in immortal perfection; and, as they leave the earth, the living saints are changed. The "elect from one end of heaven to the other," with angels bright and strong to lead the way, are caught up to meet the Lord, who waits in mid heaven to receive the purchase of his blood. Language would fail to describe what follows; dear reader, we pray you to contemplate it, and may we be prepared to participate in this happy meeting.

(End Excerpt) 

Which Side Will You Be On?

Revelation 16

Excerpts from -Daniel and the Revelation by Uriah Smith


The Three Unclean Spirits.--

An event to be noticed under this plagues is the issuing forth of the three unclean spirits to gather the nations to the great battle. The agency now already abroad in the world known as modern spiritism, is in every way a fitting means to be employed in this work. But it may be asked how a work which is already going can be designated by that expression, when the spirits are not introduced into the prophecy until the pouring out of the sixth plague, which is still future. We answer that in this, as in many other movements, the agencies which Heaven designs to employ in the accomplishment of certain ends, go through a process of preliminary preparation for the part which they are to act. Thus, before the spirits can have such absolute authority over the race as to gather them to battle against the King of kings and Lord of lords, they must first win their way among the nations of the earth, and cause their teaching to be received as of divine authority and their word as law. This work they are now doing, and when they shall have once gained full influence over the nations in question, what fitter instrument could be employed to gather them to be so rash and hopeless an enterprise?


To many it may seem incredible that the nations should be willing to engage in such an unequal warfare as to go up to battle against the Lord of hosts; but it is one province of these spirits of devils to deceive, for they go forth working miracles, and thereby deceive the kings of the earth, that they should believe a lie.


That great statesmen recognize the influence of spiritism, or the spirits of devils, in influencing nations to go to war, is seen in the following statement by Sir Edward Grey, when speaking to the House of Commons. In describing the workings of these forces, the British Foreign Secretary accurately said: "It is really as if in the atmosphere of the world there were some mischievous influence at work, which troubles and excites every part of it." [7]


Ramsay MacDonald, twice Prime Minister of Britain, said:


"It would seem as if they were all bewitched, or laboring under some doom imposed upon them by devils. . . . People were beginning to feel that there was something devilish in the operations now going on to increase armies, navies, and air forces." [8]


The sources from which these spirits issue, denote that they will work among three great religious divisions of mankind, represented by the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, or paganism, Roman Catholicism, and apostate Protestantism.


But what is the force of the caution thrown out in verse 15? Probation must have been closed, and Christ have left His mediatorial position, before the plagues begin to fall. Is there danger of falling after that? It will be noticed that this warning is spoken in connection with the working of the spirits. The inference therefore is that it is retroactive, applying from the time these spirits begin to work to the close of probation, and that by a use of tenses sometimes occurring in the Greek language, the present tense is put for the past, as if it had read, Blessed is he that hath watched and kept his garments, as the shame and nakedness of all how have not done this will at this time especially appear.


"He gathered them." Who are the ones here spoken of as "gathered," and what agency is to be used in gathering them? If the work "them" refers to the kings of verse 14 it is certain that no good agency would be made use of to gather them; and if the spirits are referred to by the word "he," why is it in the singular number? The peculiarity of this construction has led some to read the passage thus: "And he [Christ] gathered them [the saints] into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon [the illustrious city, or New Jerusalem] ." But this position is untenable.


Let us notice how the text really reads. The word for "spirits" is {GREEK CHARACTERS IN PRINTED TEXT}, pneumata, a noun in the plural number. According to an established law of Greek language, when a plural noun is in the neuter gender, as pneumata is, it requires the verb to be in the singular. Accordingly, in verse 14, the verb "go forth" with "spirits" as its subject, is in the singular number in the Greek original. Likewise, also, as the narrative is resumed following the parenthetical exhortation in verse 15, the verb "gathered" is also in the singular in the Greek to co-ordinate with "go forth" in verse 14, since these two verbs have the same subject "which," that should not be printed as a supplied word, and that stands for "spirits." There is therefore every sound reason for translating verse 16, "They [the spirits] gathered them [the kings] together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon." This interpretation is supported by other versions.


"They gathered them together into the place which is called in Hebrew Har-Magedon," says the American Revised Version. "They did bring them together to the place that is called in Hebrew Armageddon," reads Young's Literal Translation of the Bible. Hence it is logical to conclude that the persons gathered are the minions of Satan, not the saints; that it is the work of the spirits, not of Christ; and that place of assemblage is not in the New Jerusalem at the marriage supper of the Lamb, but at Armageddon (or Mount Megiddo), at "the battle of that great day of God Almighty."


Verse 17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. 18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. 19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. 20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.


The Seventh Plague.--


Thus has Inspiration described the last judgment which is to be inflicted in the present state of the earth upon those who are incorrigibly rebellious against God. Some of the plagues are local in their application, but this one is poured out into the air. The atmosphere envelops the whole earth, and it follows that this plague will envelop equally the habitable globe. It will be universal. The very air will be deadly.


The gathering of the nations has taken place under the sixth vial, and the battle remains to be fought under the seventh. Here are brought to view the instrumentalities with which God will slay the wicked. At this time it may be said, "The Lord hath opened His armory, and hath brought forth the weapons of His indignation." Jeremiah 50: 25.


The Scripture declares, "There were voices." Above all will be heard the voice of God. "The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth shall shake; but the Lord will be the hope of His people, and the strength of the children of Israel." Joel 3: 16. (See also Jeremiah 25: 30; Hebrews 12: 26.) The voice of God will cause the great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth.


"Thunders and lightnings"--another allusion to the judgments of Egypt. (See Exodus 9: 23.) The great city is divided into three parts: that is, the three grand divisions of the false and apostate religions of the world (the great city), paganism, Roman Catholicism, and apostate Protestantism, seem to be set apart each to receive its appropriate doom. The cities of the nations fall; universal desolation spreads over the earth; every island flees away, and the mountains are not found. Thus great Babylon comes in remembrance before God. read her judgments as more fully described in Revelation 18.


"A great hail out of heaven, falling upon men," is the last instrumentality used in the infliction of punishment upon the wicked--the bitter dregs of the seventh vial. God has solemnly addressed the wicked, saying, "Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place." Isaiah 28: 17. (See also Isaiah 30: 30.) The Lord asks Job if he has seen the treasures of hail, which He as "reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war." Job 28: 22, 23.


Every hailstone is said to be "about the weight of a talent." According to various authorities, a talent as a weight is about fifty-seven pounds avoirdupois. What could withstand the force of stones of such an enormous weight falling from heaven? But mankind, at this time, will have no shelter. The cities have fallen in a mighty earthquake, the islands have fled away, and the mountains are not found. Again the wicked give vent to their woe in blasphemy, for the plague of the hail is "exceeding great."


Some faint idea of the terrible effect of such a disaster as is here predicted, may be inferred from the following sketch of a hailstorm on the Bosphorus, by Commodore Porter:


"We had got perhaps a mile and a half on our way, when a cloud rising in the west gave indications of an approaching rain. In a few minutes we discovered something falling from the heavens with a heavy splash, and of a whitish appearance. I could not conceive what it was, but observing some gulls near, I supposed it to be them darting for fish, but soon after discovered that they were large balls of ice falling. Immediately we heard a sound like rumbling thunder, or ten thousand carriages rolling furiously over the pavement. The whole Bosphorus was in a foam, as though heaven's artillery had been discharged upon us and our frail machine. Our fate seemed inevitable; our umbrellas were raised to protect us, but the lumps of ice stripped them to ribbons. We fortunately had a bullock's hide in the boat, under which we crawled, and saved ourselves from further injury. One man of three oarsmen had his hand literally smashed; another was much injured in the shoulder; Mr. H. received a severe blow in the leg; my right hand was somewhat disabled, and all more or less injured. . . .


"It was the most awful and terrific scene that I ever witnessed, and God forbid that I should be ever exposed to such another! Balls of ice as large as my two fists fell into the boats, some of them came with such violence as certainly to have broken an arm or leg had they struck us in those parts. One of them struck the blade of an oar, and split it. The scene lasted, maybe five minutes; but it was five minutes of the most awful feeling that I ever experienced. When it passed over, we found the surrounding hills covered with masses of ice, I cannot call it hail, the trees stripped of their leaves and limbs, and everything looking desolate. . . .


"The scene was awful beyond all description. I have witnessed repeated earthquakes; the lightning has played, as it were, about my head; and wind roared, and the waves have at one moment thrown me to the sky, and the next have sunk me into the deep abyss. I have been in action, and have seen death and destruction around me in every shape of horror; but I never before had the feeling of awe which seized upon me on this occasion, and still haunts, and I fear will ever haunt me. . . . My porter, the boldest of my family, who had ventured an instant from the door, had been knocked down by a hailstone, and had they not dragged him in by the heels, would have been battered to death. . . .Two boatmen were killed in the upper part of the village, and I have heard of broken bones in abundance. . . . Imagine to yourself, however, the heavens suddenly frozen over, and as suddenly broken to pieces in irregular masses, of from half a pound to a pound weight, and precipitated to the earth." [9]


Reader, if such were the desolating effects of a hailstorm of ice, which discharged stones double the size of a man's fist, weighing at most a pound or so, who can depict the consequences of that coming storm in which "every stone" will be more than fifty pounds in weight? As surely as God's word is truth, He is thus soon to punish a guilty world. May it be ours, according to the promise, to have "sure dwellings" and "quiet resting places" in that terrific hour. Isaiah 32: 18, 19.


"There came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done!" Thus all is finished. The cup of human guilt has been filled up. The last soul has availed itself of the plan of salvation. The books are closed. The number of the saved is completed. The final period is placed to this world's history. The vials of God's wrath are poured out upon a corrupt generation. The wicked have drunk them to the dregs, and sunk into the realm of death for a thousand years. Reader, where do you wish to be found after that great decision?


But what is the condition of the saints while the "overflowing scourge" is passing over? They are the special subjects of God's protection, without whose notice not a sparrow falls to the ground. Many are the promises which come crowding in to afford them comfort, summarily contained in the beautiful and expressive language of the psalmist:


"I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress; my God; in Him will I trust. Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou has made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation; there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall plague come nigh they dwelling." Psalm 91: 2-10.

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May God Bless and keep us in HIM! May we watch and pray, waiting and ready as His and only His. May His will be done in us as we take Christ alone as our righteousness, in Him alone is found salvation.


By His unfathomable mercy and His unending, amazing grace.


Amen.